U2713H, calibration, apple

Do not use i1Profiler "v1.5.whatever." Read my previous post, you need Dell Color Calibration Solution 1.5.3. Donwload and install it. You have the link. Without it you won't be able to calibrate monitor's LUT3D.

Surely this is a Windows Application - as I said in my first Post I use a Apple Mac

1)
i1Pro/i1Pro2 (spectrophotometers)/ i1Displaypro (colorimeter) should be recognized to Dell Color calibration solution  1.5.3. Make sure that you have latest version, not the one bundled with monitor CD.
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/driverdetails?driverid=VJVPH
This version for all GB-LED dells.

...but keep in mind that your i1Pro or the new i1Pro2 have very limited optical resolution (10nm) so an i1DisplayPro with RG_phosphor spectral correction will measure more acurete and faster. I mean that they ar not "reference" spectrophotometers, jus affordable ones to profile printers.

2) it will be stored in CAL1 or CAL2, the one you choose. Custom color is for GPU calibration: white is corrected with RGB gain inside monitor, gamma and grey neutrality are corrected in your graphics card (with bad results unless you have an AMD/ATI or nvidiaQuadro graphics card).

Do not use i1Profiler "v1.5.whatever."

Read my previous post, you need Dell Color Calibration Solution 1.5.3. Donwload and install it. You have the link. Without it you won't be able to calibrate monitor's LUT3D.

Ok Thank you for your reply - but lets take it slowly...

The I1 Pro has V 1.5.6. which is the latest from x-rite.

How do I choose CAL1 or CAL2 ? - sounds dumb but when I run the i1 Monitor Calibration the Monitor menu always defaults to Standard. I cannot see how to choose CAL from the menu before I start the Calibration?

Thanks for your help

Ops, my fault.

With OSX you cannot calibrate U2413, U2713, U3014 LUT3D and of course you cannot use 10bit capabilities, sorry. Get an real phtography OS like Windows and a FirePro/Quadro card.

If you Mac has an nvidia graphic card or just the integrated intel GPU (current iMacs or Macbooks) you cannot even calibrate properly any monitor in GPU (Custiom mode or whatever brand calls user customizable RGB gain OSD mode) because these GPUs lack of high bitdepth LUTs.

For Custom mode of any monitor you need an AMD/ATI or nvidia Quadro graphics card, with other GPU models you'll get banding if calibrate in GPU. If your mac is and older monitor with an AMD, then use i1Profiler. It will correct grey ramp without issue.

Thank you for the response - It seems I have made a major error here.

I made the decision to buy the Dell in a hurry and was under the (wrong) impression that I could calibrate this monitor to user level, but using the i1 Pro the screen is "miles-off" accuracy (screen to print) when compared to my 8 year old 20" Aluminium Matte Mac screen (which is very accurate!) 

I did understand that I could not use the 10bit capability but as a much cheaper option (very little choice here in South Africa apart from shiny Mac screens and NEC which are unbelievably expensive)

Your advice to "get a real photography OS like Windows" is just not that simple given the amount of current Apple software/hardware I have invested in my photography and printing business.

What I don't understand;  you say iMacs or Macbooks cannot be calibrated properly with any monitor - is it not true that many many Mac users can calibrate NEC, Eizo etc. using the Mac graphics cards you mention above!

Thank you, it seems I did indeed misread your post.

I now understand your reply regarding  monitors in your first 5 paragraphs - I am learning!

I will investigate the software you suggest, however what you are saying is new to me so I will need time to understand fully before I dive in and start asking further questions.

Your last paragraph: my Dell is  over-saturated in red when I calibrate using the i1 Pro in auto mode (not advanced) I will investigate the possibilities of some mis mtach with ColorSyc, not sure how, but I will investigate and revert.

It seems then that all is not lost with this Monitor and from what you say it is possible to get an accurate screen calibration with my hardware and the dell monitor before i start thinking about selling it for something else!

Please leave this discussion open as I am a long way from resolving this issue.

Kind regards

P

You missunderstood my post, I said:

"current iMacs or Macbooks" (I mean the ones you can buy from a reseller or Apple Store right now) "cannot calibrate properly any monitor IN GPU" (I mean that all these macs have intel iGPU or no profesional nvidia, and THIS hardware no matter if it is runing OSX/WIn/Linux or if it is mounted on a Mac or a PC cannot calibrate properly any monitor IN GPU, using GPU LUTs, because thse graphic cards lack of high bitdepth LUTs).

It is a hardware limitation from gamer nvidias an intel iGPUs. The NECs/Eizos you are talking about could be calibrated inside monitor using is internal LUT3D, like Dell U2413, U2713H or U3014 so if they are calibrated internaly to monitor, no banding apperars. The difference is that NEC/Eizo give suport to OSX to this operation, they have an OSX app to do that.

If you try to calibrate a NEC or an Eizo using GPU LUTs with a gamer nvidia you'll get the same banding.

Older iMacs or macbooks (some of them) or the new MacPro have AMD GPU cards and "usual calibration", the one performed in GPU LUTs (the only one avaliable for 90% monitors), runs smoothly without banding issues.



Regarding your issues with your i1Pro, create a profile & calibration with i1Profiler and make sure you choose "ICC v2" (version 2 of ICC profile). Then download and install:
http://argyllcms.com/
http://dispcalgui.hoech.net/

which are avaliabel to OSX, Windows and Linux and are free software (you can inspect its source code). The run a validation of the profiles you created. Maybe 8 year old is not so accurate...

Anyway, you can use ArgyllCMS/DispcalGUI to calibrate and profile both screens or even get a visual match of their whites. These programs support i1Pro, but remember that "high res mode" is only intended for "colorimeter spectral correction" creation, not for actual calibration (more noise).

It is possible too that you mess something with ColorSync and your color managed applications like LR or Photoshop are reading your Mac Display profile as if it were U2713H profile (which at Custom color mode runs at native gamut with a vast oversaturated green-AdobeRGB- and red -even beyond AdobeRGB-) and that is the cause of your visual missmatch. You should inspect these issues by yourself since it is difficult to assist a full check of ColorSync configuration in a forum.

As a first guess easy to perform to newbies:

-remove all monitor profiles from Color Sync (do whatever backlup you need)

-Create a ICC v2 profile at "custom color" OSD mode with your i1Profiler, "U2713H_i1Profiler.icc"

-Do not use at this attempt any kid of ambient light measurement

-Once calibration is done and profile is made, exit i1Profiler and make sure that in Color Sync your U2713H is linked to the profile made in previuos step, "U2713H_i1Profiler.icc".

-The U2713H is at full gamut, which means that its native red is outside AdobeRGB.

-Now open GIMP, or Photoshop an look at an sRGB/AdobeRGB image (the image MUST have an embeded profile). It should look OK.
In order to compare to hardcopy a softproof printer profile must be selected in PS/GIMP.

OK, set-up as above carried out with the following observations:

1. There is nowhere to select a version (2) of ICC so I presume the i1 Profile software does this automatically?

2. I used D65,  not Native for the White Point, with 120 luminance.

3. I selected Brightness, Contrast & RGB Gains manually - however only Brightness & RGB Gains are activated during the process, I assume contrast stays at 100% purposely?

4. The calibrated profile U2713H.ICC is in the ColorSync folder and is linked to the Monitor Profile.

5. I use LR and export with the native ProPhotoRGB profile then ALWAYS soft-proof in CS using the correct paper profile. I also select the Rendering here and carry the same through to the Print.

6. The paper to screen is very accurate in all aspects apart from the usual difference between screen and paper! However there is still a slight RED cast most noticeable in the mid-tones, which I must say is not visible on my old MAC screen - the Dell is also much brighter than the MAC.

7. I use Mirage (RIP) to print with and is more accurate as a visual soft proof than CS or LR. When I see my image in Mirage it is even closer to the print than CS giving more accurate contrast, but the RED cast in the mid-tones is still visible.

8. When viewing the screen with a WHITE only background one can see a RED cast at the bottom and the right-hand side of the screen.

Please advise.

OK thank you, just before we discuss your latest reply I went though your previous routine and found this in in the ColorSync app/profiles.

I have tried to find these and remove but cannot locate. I have tried to run "chflags nohidden ~/Library to reveal any hidden files in the Library but is does not show any - where are these files?

Look in /Users/petercorbett/Library/ColorSync/Profiles, but this won't help with uniformity problem in lower right corner.

"8. When viewing the screen with a WHITE only background one can see a RED cast at the bottom and the right-hand side of the screen."

Dell warranty does not cover that. That is a screen un-uniformity. If the certer is D65, then the screen is OK for Dell. If bought from Dell or from a reseller check exchange or return policy.

If you want "screen uniformity warranty" you should have bought an Eizo Color Edge or NEC Spectraview (about 1600-2000 euro for 27") otherwise you are playing lottery with all "generalist" trademarks like Dell, Asus, LG... Most monitors are OK but there is a posibility for units with quality under the mean.

Run a "tools->screen uniformity report" with ArgyllCMS/DispcalGUI since i1Profiler uniformity test lack of important information about the severity of this un-uniformiti inyour lower-right corner.

I still cant find these profiles in the path you indicate!

I take your point so I have had a brief look at 

"Run a "tools->screen uniformity report" with ArgyllCMS/DispcalGUI since i1Profiler uniformity test"

i presume I move the i1 over each of the patches and it will measure them and report?

The uniformity report (several) confirmed the poor overall uniformity of the screen.

Besides a measured report the screen is not good enough to do the work editing images and soft proofing that I do - I have been doing successfully over the last 6 years with 2 Mac (matte screens)

I spoke to Dell Tech Support and they agreed to replace the monitor after a very short discussion.

I await the new device !